Brine-cooler.



0. C. DE FOSSET.

BRINE COOLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1911.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

OSCAR (3. DE FQSSET, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIG.

, BRINE-QOOLER.

Specification of Eetters ratent.

Patented (lot. 22, 1912..

Application filed April 1, 1911. Serial No. 618,340..

To aZL whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, OSCAR C. DE Fossn'r, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton, in the State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brine-Coolers, ofwhich the following is the specification.

My invention relates to tubular brine coolers for flooded refrigeratingsystems.

The object of my invention is to construct a tubular brine cooler whichis more efiicient than the coolers now in use, and one in which thetubular cooling surface is greatly increased without proportionatelyincreasing the size of the cooler.

My invention is particularly adapted to be used in ice manufacturingplants where these comparatively small brine coolers are placed in thetank which holds the brine,

and in which the cans of water are placed in the usual manner.

'My invention consists in a brine cooler having two chambers connectedtogether by means of a plurality of pipes, said pipes and chambersadapted to contain ammonia, an'd constructed to prevent the leakage ofammonia therefrom.

My invention consists more specifically in the combination with a tankadapted to hold brine and cans suitably mounted therein, of a brinecooler consisting of flat elongated box shaped chambers, tubesconnecting said chambers together, said chambers and tubes adapted tocarry ammonia, and suitable supply pipes and drainage pipes connected tosaid chambers.

My invention also consists in certain novel details of construction andin its combination and arrangement of parts as herein set forth andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawin which serves to illustrate my invention;Figure 1 is a perspective view of a brine tank, hav ing my improvedbrine cooler mounted therein, parts of the tank bein broken away. Fig. 2is a plan view 0 my improved brine cooler, part of the top being brokenaway. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my improved brine cooler, part beingin section. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, showing thetubes connected between the upper and lower chambers of the cooler.

In the embodiment of my invention and which shows a preferredconstruction, 1 illustrates a tank of the ordinary construction forholding brine, having a suitable framework 2, which is adapted to holdcans 3 in the usual manner. The tank is'divided into compartments in theusual manner, one compartment having a propeller 4 adjacent theretoadapted to force the brine therethrough, and adapted to be driven bymeans of a pulley 5 mounted on a shaft 6.

At one end of the tank 1, and within the same, I provide my improvedbrine cooler, which consists of the upper rectangular box shaped chamber7 at the top thereof, and a corresponding chamber 8 at the bottom. Thesetwo chambers 7 and 8 are connected together by means of tubes 9, whichare suitably attached, preferably by means of screw threads at thebottom and being rolled into the chamber 7 at the top as best shown inFig. 4. If rolled into the upper chamber 7 it will be necessary forholes to be placed in the upper surface of the chamber 7 to allow theroller to pass through, the holes being closed by means of plugs 10 whenthe operation is completed. This it is seen will form a better and moresafe connection, and will absolutely prevent leakage, which isa veryessential provision in a device of this character. However these tubesmay be connected in any suitable manner desired. The tubes 9 may bestaggered throughout the cooler in order to intercept the flow of brinetherebetween and thereby cause it to flow more slowly therethrough. Thisarrangement as shown in Fig. 2 will cool the brine more readily thanotherwise and produce a more eficient cooler.

Connected to the lower chamber 8, I provide the ammonia supply pipe 11.,which is connected at the other end to a condenser such as is commonlyused in plants of this character. At 12 I provide a gage of the ordinaryconstruction, which is connected to the upper and lower chambers 7 and 8by means of pipes 13. Pipe 11 is provided with a valve 14, as are alsopipes 13 provided with similar valves 15. Connected at one end of thelower chamber 8, I provide a drain pipe 16 which is preferably placed atthe lowermost end of the chamber 8 for the purpose of draining ofi weakliquid or oil.

A pipe 17 extends from the upper chamber 7 to a separator 18, it beingthe purpose of the separator to separate the li uid ammonia from the gasas it comes rom the tanks 7 and 8. The liquid ammonia returns from theseparator 18 to the chamber 7 by means of return pipe 19 and a pipe 20extends from the top of the se arator to the compressor.

In the manufacture of ice and in operating devices of this character, acompressor is employed which is adapted to compress a low pressure gasto a high pressure gas. The pipe 20 carries the low pressure gas to thecompressor where it is compressed to a high pressure gas, and is thencarried to the condenser, and from the condenser carried to the brinecooler again by means of pipe 11. The compressor and condenser are incommon use in this form of cooler, and it is, therefore, not considerednecessary to illustrate same.

The flow of liquid ammonia is as follows: My improved brine coolerbelongs to what is known as the flooded type, that is, a cooler which ismaintained partly full of liquid ammonia. As the liquid ammonia arrivingby pipe 11 fills the chamber 8 it rises part way up the tubes 9. Thisliquid boils away or is vaporized due to the heat received from thebrine and to the low pressure maintained by the compressor through thesuction pipe 20-17. It extends into a low pressure gas and passesthrough pipes 17 to the separator, which is adapted to separate the gasfrom the liquid. The compressor draws the ammonia from the separator andcooler by means of suction pipe 20, the compressor compressing said lowpressure gas into high pressure gas, and then forcing it to thecondenser, where it is condensed and carried by means of pipe 11 back tothe brine cooler again.

The advantage I derive by use of my improved brine cooler is that Iam'enabled to increase the amount of contact surfaces for the brine inthe cooler, thereby insuring a more rapid cooling of the brine. Ofcourse the brine is kept in circulation by the usual manner by means ofthe propeller 4, a suitable partition 21 beingprovided to compel thebrine to pass between the tubes 9 of the cooler to reach the opening 22,through which it has to pass to enter the tank 1.

Many modifications of my invention may be made without departing fromits spiri and scope, and I do not wish to be confined to the exactdetails shown.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A brine cooler comprising a plurality of box shaped chambers locatedone directly above the other, a plurality of pipes connecting saidchambers together, said tubes being staggered to interrupt the flow ofbrine therebetween, and suitable pipe connections in said c amber,substantially as set forth and for t e purposes specified.

2. In combination with a tank for holding ice cans and brine, of acooler having a box shaped chamber at the top and bottom thereof,respectively, vertical tubes directly connecting said chambers together,means for gaining access to said tube, an ammonia inlet pipe, and anoutlet pipe for said chambers, substantially as and for the purposes set-forth.

3. In combination with a brine tank for holdingbrine and ice cans, of acooler, comprising a plurality of box shaped receptacles adapted to holdammonia, tubes connecting said receptacles and removable plugs in theWalls of one of said tanks opposite said tubes for gaining easy accessthereto, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

OSCAR C. DE FOSSET.

Witnesses:

JAMES N. RAMSEY, J. G. DE Fossn'r.

